"It was done after much deliberations," BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said when asked whether there was any special reason to choose Adityanath among the three party leaders entrusted with leading the BJP campaign for the upcoming bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking during a panel discussion on a TV news channel, Trivedi said Adityanath was just an MP whereas statements like Muslims have first claim on resources had been made by the former Prime Minister.

"Was this secularism? Rahul Gandhi had quoted Wikileaks saying Hindu terror is dangerous for country. If the former Prime Minister, Home Minister and Rahul Gandhi can say all this and one draws a comparison of that to what Yogi Adityanath said, then I do not have any issue," he said.

Adityanath had recently said riots happen wherever they are more than 10 percent in numbers while there is no place for non-Muslims where they are more than 35 percent.

Trivedi said the MP had said this in special context or situation, one cannot take it in the national context.

He also alleged that Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders had also made controversial comments.